Improved car-coupling



B the draw-heads, each provided with two hooks, b b', cast with the the draw-head PATENT JESSE P. FREEMAN,OF DALTON, GEORGIA.

lM-PRovED GAR-COUPLING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 83,272, dated` October 20, 1.868.

To alt whom t may concern.:-

Be it known that I, JEssE P. FREEMAN, of Dalton, in the county of Whitfield and State of Georgia, have invented anew and Improved Car-Coupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side vievv. Fig. 2 is a plan.

This invention has for its object the oonstruction of a simple and efficient coupling for railroad-cars, which shall combine with the old-fashioned method 'of coupling by hand an automatic coupling of new, and greatly-improved' construction and operation.

In the drawings, A A are the cars, and B of the latter being draw-head, on its upper side, in the form and arranged in relation to each other in the manner substantially as shown in'Figs. l and 2.

A recess,- e, is cast in the front side of each lip or upper hook, b', which receives and guards the head of the old-fashioned coupling-pin P when the `latter is in use.

Gis a stoutbolt, passing transversely through at such a distance 'behind the pin I as not to interfere with it or its couplingink.

D is an oblong curved link, of the form clearly shown in Fig. 2, through the ends of which passes the bolt G, connectingy it to the drawhead, as represented in said drawing.

E is a crank-shaft, operated by a cord, F or G, and having a curved serrated arm, I, rigidly attached to it.

When the arm is in a pendent position, as shown in Fig. l, its lower end may be allowed to project into a slot or notch in the wall of the car to keep it out ofthe way.

\ The operation of this device is as follows: When about to couple the cars, the link D is thrown up to the position shown in red lines, Fig. l. The cars are then brought together and the link dropped by means of the cord F orf G, when it will engage with the lower hook, b, of the opposite draw-head; or, when the link is raised, the toe n on its upper or outer end may be made to engage with one of the notches on the arm I, held at such an inclination that the concussion of the draw-heads, when they come together, will cause Ait to fall and engage with the hooks, in the manner above described.

When the link D is not employed the common pin P and ,coupling-link can be used, the instrument combining all the advantages,what ever they are, of the old-fashioned coupling with those of the simple, strong, and easilyoperated device above described.

The automatic coupling can be made at little expense, involving mainly a mere change in the forni of the casting. It is reliable andeffective in operation, the two hooks being so arranged that the lower and rear one usually holds the link, while if the latter at any time jumps out of place it will be caught by the upper hook, and the cars be thus prevented from uncoupling.

I do not claim a single hook or beak, b or b', when used without its companion vupon the same drawhead, arranged relatively to it as described; neither do I claim a rock-shaft attached to the draw-head itself, and employed for throwing down the link, so as to cause it to hook over the projection upon the opposite draw-head g but What I do claim as my invention, and dc sire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The arrangement of two beaks or hooks, b b', upon a single draw-head, in the position relatively lwith each other substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of a link, D, having the toen, and operatin g as described, with arockshaft, E, supported by the end of the car above the draw-head, and having attached to it a curved serrated arm, I, and a rope or crank for moving it, the whole operating together in the manner substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

. J. I?. FREEMAN. Witnesses:

CHAs. A. PETTIT, SoLoN C. KEMoN.

Enron. l

so that the link will be 

